Pattern forming mechanism for circular knitting machines



PATTERN FCRMING MECHANISM FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES April 5, l1932. G. NoBsT ET AL.

Filed Jan. 26. 1928 @7n venan' o MW Patented p'r. 5, 1932 UNETED STATES GEORG NOBST AND ERNST ULBRICHT, OF MITTWEIDA, GERMANY, ASSIGNORS, BY"

PATENT oFFies MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T SCOTT & WILLIAMS INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A. CORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

PATTERN FORMING MECHANISM FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Application led January 26, 1928, Serial No. 249,629, and in Germany January 27, 1927.

This invention relates to pattern mechanism for circular knitting machines and more particularly tol mechanism in which holes punched in a carddetermine whether or not the individual knitting instrumentalities shall be selected ordesigning purposes. Heretofore pattern chains, wheels and drums have been the principal types of selecting mechanisms used on circular knitting machines, but these types have obvious limitations-especially in cases where a large number of changes are desired or the individual knitting instrumentalities have to be selected at every course. It has heretofore been impossible to .embody 'satisfactorily in a circular knitting machine any known device of the jacquard type.

One object of the present invention is to provide a type of jacquard apparatus which will avoid all the diiiiculties and objections heretofore met in embodying ja'cquard'devices in circular knitting machines, and which at the same time will provide means for extending the scope and variety of possible patterns. Another object is to provide jacquard' apparatus which is particularly suitable for circular purl knitting machines. Another object of the invention is to provide mechanism 'of this type which is simple, light, eiiicient and very flexible. Such a device includes broadly pattern jack means arranged compactly and preferably in. some definitely' uniform or symmetrical relation to the knitting instrumentalities, the action of which they are intended to control. Suitable means are provided for actuating the individual jack means, such means being shown pneumatically operated and comprising for each needle, sinker or ordinaryjack a corresponding pattern jack connected thereto and mounted in such relation to a Atube that its position will be changed whenever a perforation in a suitable pattern card is brought into register with the admission port of the tube. It provides for the `individual selection and operation of each pattern Vjack and thereby eliminates the very undesirable intermittent or jerky pull of the pattern jacks in the ordinary jacquard apparatus. l This eliminates the noise and Vibration which are unavoidably associated with the ordinary 'jacquard and greatly reduces the number of operated parts, and simpliies the operation of parts, concerned in determining the operation of pattern-controlled needles.

For purposes of illustration the invention is shown and described embodied in a circular purl knitting machine with a revolving cam cylinder, but it should be understood that we do not limit ourselves to` that type of machine..

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section and partly diagrammatic of part of a circular purl knitting machine, showing the new type of jacquard apparatus connected to the sliders; f

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged View in perspective illustrating the relation of the pattern jacks and the discharge ends of the pneumatic tubes. Y

Referring to thedrawings, the co-aXial circular needle cylinders u and fr are provided with the usual purl knitting instrumentalities including double-ended needles and two part sliders each comprising a pusher s and a hook f such as form the subjectmatter of our copending application Ser. No. 23,135

filed September 15, 1927 (Patent No. 1,720,606

July 9, 1929). A cam'cylinder n has the usual cams and paths for effecting longitudinal movement of the needle jacks a', f in the needle cylinder u, while a lower cam cylinder (not shown) effects a longitudinal movement of the jacks in the lower cylinder 1'. It will be noted that each hook f of a needle jack in the upper cylinder u is provided at its upper or exposed end with a recess lw to which is attached one end of a are mounted vertically. As shown, there is an annular groove or recess 8 in the periphery of said ring 3 and this recess forms with they I aligned circular relation in saidslots and between said fork-like projections by means of a ring 12 which passes through longitudinally extending slots 11 in the pattern jacks. The inner edge of each pattern jack 10 engages a rounded shoulder 9 forming the inner edge of each slot 6, thus permitting each of the jacks 10 independently to have a rocking oscillatory motion about a point below the.

vertical center of the inner edge of the jack as lwell as a longitudinal movement limited by slot 11 and annularpivot ring 12. An upper-jack guiding ring or plate 5 is supported above the ring 3 by any suitable means, and the upper rin g 5 is provided along itsperipheral edge with a series of slots 7 (Fig. 2) each of which is aligned vvertically with a corresponding slot 6 in the lower ring, and adapted to receive and guide the upper portions of the jacks 10.

In order that these jacks 1() may be pneumatically selected each jack is provided yat the top with a shoulder portion' 20 which, in the normal position of the jack, indicated at A (Fig. 1), bears against the lower-.open end of a small tube 21. VIf desired pads 21. may

i be placed on the shoulders 20 of the jacks to v jacksat different levels,

form better contact with the'tubes 21. As indicated in Fig. 3, the tubesmay end behind and if-desired engage their respective thus permitting the use of this device on machines operating with very closely-spaced jacks 10 for closelys aced and fine needles. Above the tubes 21 ucts 22 vare mounted in fixed relation in a retaineror tracker plate 24 and with their upper ends forming holes in the upper surface 23 thereof. A flexible or other suitable tube 22 .connects the outer or lower end of each'duct 22 with the ends ofthe tubes 21. Coactin lwith. the holes in the surface 23 is a pe orated pattern card or strip 25. The holes in the tracker plate 24 are in line with perforations in strip 25, so that motion of strip 25 will cover or uncover the holes inthe tracker plate according to the perforations in strip 25. This strip is unrolled` from va suitable support such asa roll 27 by any suitable intermittently operative feeding device and rewound on roll 26, being driven in synchronism with the needle actuating and pattern jack actuating mechanism.

Diiferential air pressure as between the tubes 21 'and the outside atmosphere is provided by any suitable means. In operation,

" as the` pattern strip moves across the plate 24, the perforations in said' strip will, by registering with the openings of the ducts 22 permit the diierential air pressure to become effective at the lower opening of tube 21. In the illustrated device, it is contemplated that the pattern jack 10 will be actuated by impact of compressedv airagainst the shoulder 20, although it is contemplated that asimilar or equivalent movement of the jacks may be ei'ected by suction with a correspondin ly diierent arrangement of the parts. om ressed air is produced in a suitable air con ning device such as a tank 28 from' which it is transmitted through an exhaust outlet 29 in operative contact with the pattern strip 25. The air tank 28 is ivotally mounted on a lever 31 fulcrume at 30 so that the exhaust outlet 29 may be conveniently moved toward and away from operative position with respect to the pattern strip. This adjustment is desirable for the convenient insertion and removal of diierentstrips and for convenient inspection of the accuracy of operation of the pattern strip ask it passes the upper openings of the ducts 22.

In operation, the pattern jacks normally occupy the position indicated at A in Fig. 1. Assuming that the movement of the pattern strip 25 across the plate 24 brings a perforation into register with the opening of a tube 21, the corresponding jack 10 will be blown outwardly by the com ressed air with a rocking movement whic carries its u per end toward a toothed ring A14; mounte for rotation outside the ,guide plate 5. It will be observedthat the jacksy 10 are balanced upon annular pivot 12 and lightly retained only by the pull of their flexible linkage'with connections 13, the eiect of which inthe normal position A, at the left ofFig. 1, is merely suiiicient to avoid accidental outward displacement of the upper ends of jacks 10. A relatively feeble blast from one of the tubes 21 is thus suiiicient to tip a jack 10 outwardly against-the slight forces holding'it upright. When a "lack 10 is so displaced, gravity tends to ho d it in its displaced position. The ring 14 carries a jack lifting cam 16 having an inclined upper cam surface 17 positioned to engage an under-surface of 'the head 18 of the pattern jack 1() when the vlatter is in the .position to which it was tipped` bythe pneumatic means. Surfaces 17 and the under surface of head 18 may be inclined to the horizontal as shown in Fig. 1 to prevent their disengagement after cam 17 has engaged head 18, untilthe cam 17 shall have passed by. Continued rotation of the ring 14 advances the cam 16 so that any displaced vack 10 is` lifted or moved longitudine ly lto the position marked B in Fig. 1. This-'- movement is suiiicient to draw the drawv jack f' in cylinder a up to a position where the butt of said jack will lie. in the path of jack actuating means such as a stitch cam forming part oi the cam cylinder n. As indicated more clearly in Fig. 2, the plate 14 also carries a resetting device comprising in eifect a cam 19 positioned to engage and push back jack 10 to its normal position A Where it is again ready ordisplacement by virtue of the operation of the selecting means hereinabove described. The toothed ring 14 carrying the cams 16 and 19 is driven from a spur gear 15 mounted on a shaft 42 from which the patternstrip and the moving rotating parts of the cylindrical knitting machine may also be driven by suitable connections. This connection is desirable in order that operation of the parts may be properly coordinated or synchronized and so that the displacing and repositioning of the pattern jacks may take place in proper sequence with respect to the actuation of the loop-'forming instrumentalities.

The cooperation of the pattern jacks Wit the sliders and the double-ended needles, lin the roduction of purl and other fabrics will be o vious to those skilled in the art. v

It will be obvious that our mechanism can be used to actuate needles, sinkers or jacks in any type of circular knitting machines, and it will also be obvious that many modiications will occur to those skilled in the art which do not depart from the scope of our invention.

We claim:

1. A circular knitting machine having individual knitting instrumentalities, and a plurality of pattern jack means severally for selecting said instrumentalities severally to determine their operation or inoperation, in combination with pneumatic means adapted to move said pattern `jack means severally and selectively according to a predetermined pattern.

2.- In a circular knitting machine,I the combinationv of individual knitting instrumentalities, a plurality of pattern jacks severally for actuating said instrumentalities, and pneumatic means for Vselectively moving individual pattern jacks :Erom inoperative to operative -position with respect to said knitting instrumentalities.

3. A circular knitting machine having a needle cylinder, a plurality of pattern jacks arranged coaxially with said cylinder, Jand pneumatic means severally adapted on occasion to. deliver a pneumatic impulse radially of said cylinder against said jacks to move said jacks selectively.

and meansfor resetting said jacks in'inoperative position.

5. In a circular knitting machine, the combination of individual knitting instrumentalities, a plurality of pattern jacks for selecting said instrumentalities for actuation, pneumatic means for selectively moving individual pattern jacks from inoperative to operative position with respect to said knitting instrumentalities, actuating means for operat-l ing pattern jacks operatively positioned, andl means operated independently of said pneumatic means for resetting said jacks in 1noperative position.

6. In a circular knitting machine, the combination of a pattern jack actuating cam, a plurality of pattern jacks normally out of the path of movement of said cam, and pneumatic means for selectively moving said jacks sever- 4 ally into the path of said cam.

7. In a circular knitting machine, the combinatiou of a' needle cylinder, needle actuating sliders mounted for movement therein, slidable pattern jacks, pneumatic pattern means for selectivelyv e'ecting transverse movement of individual pattern .jacksinto 'operative position, means for imparting needle controlling movement to pattern jacks displaced into operative position, connections for transmitting needle operating mov-ement of each pattern ack to a corresponding needl-e actuating slider, and means for retracting pattern jacks from their operative position.

8. In a circular knitting machine, the combination of a jack actuating cam, a plurality of pattern jacks normally out of the path of movement of said cam, means for selectively moving individual jacks by an air current into the path of said cam, and means for resetting said jacks in normal position.

9. In a circular knitting machine, the combination of a needle cylinder, needle actuating jacks mounted for sliding movement therein, pneumatic means for selectively effecting 'ositioning movementof individual pattern Jacks in one direction, means for imparting endwise needle actuating movement to said needle actuating jacks in accordance with the position of the pattern jacks', and means operative independently of said pneumatic means for effecting repositioning movement of said pattern jacks in the opposite direction.

10. A circular purl knitting machine having two needle cylinders with tricks, `needle actuating jacks, sliders and double-ended needles in said tricks,vmeans for positioning said needle jacks operatively or inoperatively in combination with acam'cylinder adapted to actuate said needle jacks and sliders,` and pattern means having pneumatic connections to said means for positioning said needle jacks operatively or inoperatively.

11. Pattern mechanism for circular knitting machines comprising a series of pattern "new jacks normally positioned in an axial dimens ion of the machine in circular alignment, pneumatic means for selectively displacing' individual jacks radially out of said -circular 5 alignment, means rotatably mounted to enage and lon 'tudinally move said relatively 'splaced jac s, and means rotatably mounted to engage said selectively displaced jacks,

' and return them to their respective normal I ing 'selecting devices for slider-actuated positions. l

l 12. Pattern mechanism for circular knitf ting machines com rising a plurality of pattern jacks mounte for rocking and longitudinal motions', pneumatic means for rocking said jacks vseverally by movement in one direction, a cam for effecting rocking movement thereof in the op osite direction, and a cam for effecting longitudinal motion of said selected j ac 2o 13. In a circular knitting machine, the combination of individual instrumentalities, means for activating the same for loop forming operations, a plurality of longitudinally slotted pattern jacks'operatively connected to 23 said instrumentalities, supporting and .bearing means disposed within the slots of the jacks, means for selectively rocking individual jacks about said supporting and bearing means into an operative position,means for moving said operatively positioned jacks longitudinally with reference to said supporting and bearin means, and means for moving saidY selecte jacks out of said opera-A tive position.

i I 14. Pattern mechanism for circular knitting machines comprising a series of pattern jacks'norrnally positioned in circular alignment for freedom of movement transversely and longitudinally of the` axial dimensions of' 4o the machine, means for confining a supplyof compressed air, a series of tubes interposed between said air supply and said jacks, each of said tubes having an inlet opening positioned to communicate with said supply and an outletlopening'to direct an air blast to` Y ward a jack to displace it, a pattern strip having pattern perforations, means for movingsaid strip between said supply of compressed air and said tubes selectively to expose the inlet openings of predetermined tubes to said compressed air supply, a cam ring mounted coaxially .with said series of jacks, said'ring being rotatable relatively to the series of "jacks, a lifting cam on said ringforimparting movement in one dimension to displaced jacks, and a resetting cam on said rotatable ring for returning said individual jacks to normal position.

15. In a circular knitting machine, the com- 50 bination of a needle cylinder having tricks and double-ended needles therein, sliders for said needles,la series of pattern jacks mounted in circular alignment coneentrically with said C5 to an air pressure differential, 4wires operacylinder, each j ack being movable in response tively connecting said jacks and said sliders,. va series of air tubes each-arranged with an opening in operative relation to -one of said jacks, means for effecting a differential air I pressure as between the terminal openings of selected conduits including a perforated pattern strip, and means for advancing the same across openin in said tubes.

16. In a knitting machine of the kind havneedles, the actuation of any slider, depending upon its position in relation to operatin cams, the combination of a pattern ]ack an connection for positioning a slider', means for moving the jack and connection when the pattern jack is displaced to said eiect; an

air pipe adapted to blow a blast against said pattern jack to displace it, and pattern controlled means for admitting air under pressure to said pipe.

17. In a pneumatic pattern mechanism for knitting ^1nachines, the combination with needle-actuating jacks of pattern jacks, connections between said jacks and actuating means for said pattern jacks, said pattern jacks being normally held for vdisplacement against slight stabilizin forces in a position out of contact with sai actuating means, a blast-pipe positioned and ada ted to blow upon a jack t6 displace it, in com ination with a source of air under pressure,'and a movable perforated attern device therein movable on a tracker p ate having an orificeleading to said blast pipe, whereby to displace said gage and longitudinally move said relatively i displaced jac s, and means rotatably-mounted to engage said selectively displaced jacks,

and return them. to their respective normal positions, and means operated by a longitudinally'. displaced jack to eiect a change in operation of a knitting instrumentality.

names to this specification.

. GEORG NOBST.

y ERNST ULBRICHT In testimony whereof wev have signed our 

